Delivery mechanism for printing machines



Dec. 18, 1934. D. M. McBEAN DELIVERY MECHANISM FOR PRINTING MACHINES 3 Sheets-Sheec 1 Filed Aug. 18, 1931 M. Mc Bean ENVENTOR DOU lClS 8, 1934 D. M. McBEAN 1,985,211

DELIVERY MECHANISM FOR PRINTING MACHINES Filed Aug. 18, 1931 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 E| '-l J I INVENTOR Do g|as M M Bean Q-a/Q H! ATTORNEY Dec. 18, 1934.

D. M. McBEAN 1,985,211

DELIVERY MECHANISM FOR PRINTING MACHINES Filed Aug. 18, 1931 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR Patented Deco 18, 1934 UNiTED STATES mam PATENT Fli'lE DELIVEEY lliEfiHANISM FOR PG MAQCHINES 7 Application August 1218, 1931, Serial No. 55?,2183

ll. illalms.

The invention relates to delivery mechanism for printing machines of a character in which a continuous web is advanced and printed, usually with identical repetitious designs or subject mat-- is ter in linear parallel relation; the web is severed at a later stage of its advancement through the machine, to produce a plurality of strips each bearing the imprinted design or indicia repetitiously, and the parallel strips are then severed at regular intervals to produce individual pieces hereafter referred to for convenient identification as labels, without intention to imply limitation as to the subject matter of the imprints or the purposes for whichthe individual strips are to be used.

The delivery mechanism constituting the invention is devised for incorporation in or association with such a printing machine at its rearward end and includes the following prinipal features:

Label receivers or trays are provided, each of which is devised to receive a plurality of stacks of the individual labels produced in the manner above stated and to maintain these stacks in proper regular form until all of the stacks on a tray are of a desired height, whereupon the tray is to be moved or removed while labels are delivered in parallel stack relation to a succeeding tray or. trays. Means of the general nature of vertical conveyors are provided to receive one or a plurality of successive trays in properly spaced relation and to advance the trays downward, so that with reference to an uppermost tray in the conveyor, considered as the active tray, labels are stacked upon it to the desired height, and then another tray is supplied, and stacking upon that tray commences and continues until the stacks are of the desired height, and so on. One or more of the filled trays may remain in the conveyor moving progressively downward therein, and ready for removal at convenience of the attendant. Provision is also made, preferably, for supporting an empty tray in position for quick insertion into the tray conveyor at a proper time and furthermore, for automat cally causing the tray to be moved or projecfed into the conveyor at the proper time, whereupon it moves with the conveyor, receiving label stacks in the manner stated, while another empty tray is positioned ready for insertion in the conveyor, and so on.

The invention structure is an improvement over previous means or arrangements for receptlon of labels or like paper pieces from a printing machine, or from the strip cutting and label (on. ta -9e) severing mechanism of a printing machine of present character, in providing for the more convenient reception in accurate stack arrangement of the individual labels and for the more rapid and convenient manipulation of the successive pluralities of stacks of desired height, namely by the described provision of a tray conveyor, label trays, tray supporting means and means for inserting trays into the conveyor.

The characteristics and advantages of the invention are further sufiiciently explained in connection with the following detail description of the accompanying drawings, which show one preferred embodiment. After considering this example, skilled persons will understand that many variations may be made without departing from the principles disclosed; and I contemplate the employment of any structures that are properly within the scope of the appended claims.

Fig. l is a vertical, longitudinal section of the rearward or discharge end of a printing machine of the general type previously identified, showing especially the strip cutting and label severing means thereof, and also showing applied thereto delivery, or label stack receiving and handling, mechanism, embodying the invention in one form.

Fig. 2 is a rear elevation; that is, at the left of Fig. 1; the section plane of Fig. l is at l1, Fig. 2.

Fig. 3 is a top plan with some parts in section or broken away for the sake of illustrative convenience.

Fig. 4 is a detail vertical view of the counter and associated parts.

Fig. 5 is a detail plan view of the counter, and certain parts of an electrical circuit and thereby actuated mechanical elements, controlling the tray-holding and advancing plunger.

As best shown in Fig. 1, l is a frame piece at the rear or delivery end of the printing machine of a particular type to which the invention in its present embodiment is adapted. At this location of the printing machine is a sub-frame structure including a base 3 and uprights 5 for supporting a rear transverse frame piece or plate '7 on which is located the fixed cutting blade 9. Between the uprights is a sub-frame structure 11 with columns 13 and a web supporting or guiding plate 15 which is supported by these columns and by the fixed cutting blade 9.

An upper guiding or retaining strip 17 is located above the fixed cutting blade, to prevent undesired upward movement of the strips as the movable blade rises after a cutting action.

Shaft 19 is the main drive shaft of the printing machine and is connected by suitable gearing to a driving shaft 21 which is the main or initial drive shaft of the invention mechanism.

The paper web 23 is advanced in the direction indicated by the arrow, Fig. 1, from the last printing element of the printing machine to and over plate 15, and adjacent this plate are suitable web advancing means, usually including lower rolls, not shown, and upper rubber faced rolls 25 on a transverse shaft 27. This shaft is supported by rock arms 29 fulcrumed at 31 and having members 33 arranged to be acted on by elements such as the ends of screws 35 carried by arms 37 which are fulcrumed at 39 and at their rearward ends support the upper, movable cutting blade 41,.

which cooperates with the fixed or ledger blade 9. The arms are operated, to move the upper blade, by pitmen 43, and eccentrics on a trans verse shaft 47, which is connected by suitable gearing (not shown) to the main drive shaft or some subsidiary driving element which is itself knife s1 is moved downward at the proper intervals to simultaneously sever all'of the strips, thus producing the individual pieces or labels, the ends of screws 35, or similar elements which move with the knife arms, cause the feed rolls 25 to be retracted from contact with the web, thus causing or tending to cause a cessation of the web feed during transverse cutting.

as so fardesoribed, the mechanism is a part of or constitutes an attachment to, a multicolor web printing machines)? a lrnown type, and further detail description of the machine proper or driving mechanism, etc, is therefore superfiuous.

The invention structure as here embodied is built upon or about the rear frame piece 7, which has a lower portion or separate bar 55 in spaced relation below it.

The general plan of construction and operation is as follows:

The individual labels, produced in the manner described, are to be received or arranged automatically in stacks of a predetermined height; or more particularly, each stack is to be built up "to the extent of a predetermined number of the labels and the stacks so produced are then to be moved away from the zone of formation and another set of similar stacks is to be produced or built up, and so on; and in referring to stacks in this manner, it is of course to be understood that a number of stacks is formed simultaneously equal to the number of strips into which the web is cut by the slitters 53. The described mode of producing and moving stacks of definite size away from the zone of production is to facilitate the subsequent handling of the individual slips or labels.

Provision is made for tapping or pushing the labels in each stack at one end thereof repeatedly in order to properly align them vertically in the stack.

The stack formation and movements above generally described are carried out by providing continuously moving vertical conveyors with spaced tray receiving elements, and trays adapted for insertion into said elements so that a set of stacks is built up upon one uppermost descending tray until the stacks are of required height; another tray is then inserted either "by hand or automatically, and another set of stacks is built up while the stacks carried by the previously mentioned trays are descending on the trays in the conveyor. The conveyor may be of such vertical length that two or more filled trays may be supported by it. At convenient intervals the attendant removes one or more of the lower filled trays, on which the labels are carried to any desired location for further handling.

Provision is also made for supporting an empty tray in an upward position ready for insertion into the tray receiving elements thereof, for maintaining the tray in this position until a proper time at which the conveyor elements are in alignment with the tray, and for then releasing the tray (or its supporting or advancing means), by the action of an electromagnet or equivalent means under the control of a counting instrumentality, as sufficiently explained in detail below.

A transverse frame bar 57 of a shape explained in Fig. 3 is connected as by rods 59 to the printing machine frame member '3' above referred to. The rods engage in the rearwardly offset end members 61 of the bar. The central straight oar portion 63 confronts the rear face of the frame memher 7, being spaced therefrom a distance substantially equal to the length of the labels. Thin partition plates 65 are located and secured between the frame members I and 63, and these constitute vertical guicieways or pockets in which the labels are received and the stacks are formed.

To jolt or push the forward ends of the labels in the stacks, for the purpose previously mentioned, vertical pushing or stack-aligning strips or blades 67, one for each pocket, are mounted upon a transverse rocker shaft 69, which has an arm 71 carrying a cam follower "73 engaging a cam ?5 on shaft 47 previously mentioned. A spring 77, arranged as shown in Fig. 1, holds the cam follower on the cam and normally retains the pushing blades in engagement with the ends of the labels in the respective stacks. The blades are retracted at about the time of the cutting action so that they do not interfere with the descent of the labels into the pockets, and at about the time the labels arrive on the tops of the stacks, the blades are advanced to tap or push them into proper position against forward vertical label or stack guiding elements 79 connected to the frame bar 63.

The frame structure for the receiving mechanism, in addition to the parts previously mentioned, includes vertical conveyor supporting members 81 having lower end members or ad- Justable extensions 83, adiustment of which is affected by screws 85 passing through slots 8'7.

Supported by suitable means on the described frame structure, and at each side thereof, are sprockets 89, 91 and 93 (etc.), two sets of sprockets being provided at each side, that is, at each side there is one set of the sprockets in one vertical plane and another set in another parallel vertical plane and the arrangement of the sprockets is, as shown in Fig. 2, such that each set of three sprockets engages and directs a chain 95 in such manner that each chain has a vertically descending portion 9'? and an ascending portion 99 engaged and guided by the sprocket 89 which is a driving sprocket, so that there is thus prooa ers vided at each side oi the row of label pockets c. conveyor consisting of two chains. The lower sprockets 91 are carried by 191 in the lower ends of the extensible members 83 previously mentioned, so that by adjustment of these members, the chains may be properly tensioned. The upper sprockets 93 are carried by shafts 193 supported in ends 01 the transverse bar 5'1 and in frame piece '7 respectively. The ac driving sprockets 89 are carried by shafts which are revolnbly mounted in end members or" the lower transverse ircme piece 55 previously mentioned. These members or the frame piece also revolubly support the shaft 21 above men= l5 tioned, which is the initial drivin shalt oi the label receiving and handling mechanism. shalt 21 is connected to drive the sprocket shafts 195 by gee-rs 1%.

It has been stated that shaft 21 is driven by 20 any suitable gearing from 9. moving part of the main printing machine. Such a driving connection preferably includes c. yieldable clutch such as 109 on shaft 21, this being of any suitable type providing for release of the driven element such 25 as the disk 111 connected to the shaft, 11 there is any obstruction, such as an obstruction to the movement of the conveyor, thus avoiding breakage or to the mechanism. The driving drum, 113 is revolubly mounted on shaft 21, and 30 is itself driven as by a sprocket 115 and chain 11'! which form a part of the above-mentioned gearing operatively connecting the shaft 21 to main printing machine. The member or drum 113 and driven plate or disk 111 have there 35 between a suitable yieldsblc driving means such as a spring-pressed dog or ball, whereby the parts may be released from driving connection under circumstances just mentioned, and driving ongagement will be automatically I6-8St8bli51ltl 40 after the difiiculty has seen remedied.

Each pair of chains carries at suitable inten ols tray-receiving bars 119 properly spaced, and each bar has a. slot 121 to receive the tray edge and is cut away as at 123, Fig. 3, for cooperation with o.

45 stop element on the tray. The tray bars on the two pairs of chains, are in horizontally opposite relation, as also shown in Fig. 2.

Each of the trays 125, as sufficiently illustrated in Figs. 1 and 3, comprises a tray proper or plate, 50 having a back or connecting portion 129 from which tongues or stack supporting members 131 project, these being of such width and spacing as to pass into the label pockets, whereupon they are in centered positions in the respective pock- 65 ets, ready to receive the label stacks. The back portion 129 has projecting members or lugs 1.2% to engage the cut-away formations 123 of the tray bars 119, thus to limit inserting movement of the tray and assure the proper position oi the 60 stack supporting tongues. Each tray also has a handle 133 connected at the center of the cock member 129.

The trays may be inserted by hand into the respective pairs of trey bars 119. When a tray is thus inserted into a pair 01 the bars located in an upward position of the vertical stretches of the conveyor chains, the tray will be moved downword by the conveyor as labels are deposited and the stacks are formed upon the respective supporting tongues of the tray in a. manner sufiiciently above explained. When the set of stacks thus formed has reached the desired height, another tray is inserted and stacks are built upon it while the preceding tray or trays move downward in the conveyor and are removed at any convenient time by the attendant.

1t is desirable in some cases to provide, as here shown, means for supporting and automatically inserting the trays at the proper time into the conveyor. For this purpose, stationary opposite tray supporting bars 135 are provided, these being carried by brackets 13'? connected at 139 to the portions 61 of the transverse frame bar 57. These stationery treybars hove slots 141 similar to the icmstic-ns of the moving here, to receive margins-l3 portions oi o. troy end support it in the manner shown in Fig. ready for insertion into a, pair the moving supporting oars when their slots are alignment with the slots or channels of the fixed supporting members.

The back portion 129 of each tray has on its upper lace c boss id's termed to provide a slot or socket 145 which receives the end of o. tray-holdand advancing plunger 14?. This plunger is mounted to reciprocate vertically in a. block 149, and the block is arranged to reciprocate horicont-ally a supporting and guiding tube 151, the

forward end oi which is connected to the transverse frame bar 57 as by bolts or screws 153. The detent plunger is urged downward by a spring 155, compressed between a. circular flange on the plunger and the end of on adjusting hand screw 15?, which has threaded engagement in the upper end of s spring-socket formed in block 119. By tu ning the hand-screw the spring pressure may he adjusted. The upper portion of the detent plunger passes through a bore in the center of the hand-screw, and has on its upper end a. finger piece or knob 159 by which the plunger may be retracted when desired. The stem of the handscrew passes through a. dot 161 in the upper side of the guide tube 151, and the lower portion of the plunger is located in o slot 163 in a lower side of the tube.

A spring 155, which may be called a motor spring, since it serves as the means for inserting the tray into the conveyor members, is arranged tube 151 between block 149 and a screw plug 16*? inserted in the end of the tube and held in adjusted position by a. set screw 169. A detent pawl 1'21 which is one end of a lever 1'73 iulcrumed at 1'75 on tube 151, passes through on aperture l'l'l in one side of the tube and normally engages the forward face of block 149, as clearly explained in Fig. 3. The block is thus normally held in retracted position, as shown in Fig. 1, with the motor spring compressed and ready to advance the block when the detent is retracted. With the block and its plunger in the stated position, the tray may-be inserted into the channels of the fixed supporting bars 135, and in the act of inserting it the end of plunger 14'? slides up upon the forward inclined surface of the boss 143 until it reaches the socket 145 and snaps into it, and thereupon the tray is retained in the proper position in the fixed guides, ready for insertion into the channels of an upper pair of the moving supports 119', that is, the inserting action is to occur slightly after the upper moving bars reach the position in which they are shown in Fig. 1, or in other words when the channels of the moving and fixed supporting bars are in alignment.

At this time, the detent 1'21 is withdrawn and the motor spring acts to insert the tray into the moving supporting her. Another tray is then inserted in the fired supports, the block 149 hevirm: previously been retracted and engaged with the detent. The hand-screw 157 in additill tion to its other functions serves as a convenient hand-piece for the retraction of the block.

The detent may be withdrawn arbitrarily by the attendant at the proper time to eflect insertion of the tray; but in many cases it is desirable and preferable to provide means for automatically retracting the detent whenever the stacks on the last inserted tray have been built up to the desired height, and determination of this height of the stack is desirably not by vertical linear measure, but by the number of labels in the stack, since it is usually desirable to insure that the stacks built up in the present delivery mechanism shall each contain an accurately measured number oi labels, so that in subsequent handling of the labels dependence may be placed upon the approximate or exact accuracy of the stacks as to the number of labels that they con= taln.

For this purpose, there is provided any known or suitable counter 179, which as shown in Fig. 2 may be mounted on one end of the frame piece 7 and may be driven in any suitable way, as by gears 181 or ratchet mechanism or the like and which is itself operated from any suitable moving part of the printing machine; in brief, the counter accurately counts the number of labels out from each strip. This counter is arranged or has means which in any desired manner retracts the detent l'il when the count reaches a desired point, say whenever the counter shows that 500 labels have been out and deposited in each stack, or when he count reaches any multiple of this or any predetermined figure. The counter may be arranged to act upon the detent by electrical means under control of moving elements of the counter in a known manner. fll'ius, there may be an electromagnet in a circuit controlled by such a moving element or elements of the counter, and the mag-= net may be arranged to act upon an armature which is connected to detent lever 173 as by a linlr its In Figs. 4 and 5 l have indicated a suitable embodiment of such construction, namely, the provision oi a i outset 190, carried by the wheel of the counter 179 at the suitable location corre== spending to the predetermined number, say, for the above stated example of 509, on the hundreds" wheel 179a, at the median line leetween its figure i and its figure 5, a suitable contact 191 fixed to the counter housing, a lead 2 32, connected to one end of an electrical circuit, in which is included the winding of the electr0- magnet 1193, illustrated of the solenoid type, its movable core 19%, upon closure of the circuit serving to actuate the lever 195, thus operating the link 183 and the detent lever 173. The ex pansile spring 196 serves to withdraw the movable core rec, upon breaking oi the electrical circuit,

The general explanation of the plan of operation just preceding the detail description of the drawings will enable the operation of the delivery mechanism, either by arbitrary or hand-manipulation of the trays, or by automatic tray insertion, to be iully understood without i'urther explanaticn.

Whereas I have described my invention by relez'ence to specific forms thereof, it will be till-- derstcod that many changes and modifications may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention.

I claim:

1, Delivery mechanism for a web advancing machine of character described, said mechanism comprising parallel aligned pockets designed to receive and guide labels in vertical stack arrangement, a vertically moving tray conveyor, and means thereon for detachably receiving and supporting trays, the trays having stack supporting portions adapted for location in the pockets.

2. Delivery mechanism for a web advancing machine 01 character described, said mechanism compr sing parallel aligned pockets designed to receive and guide labels in vertical stack arrangement, a vertically moving tray conveyor, and means thereon for detachably receiving and supporting trays, the trays having stack supporting portions adapted for location in the pockets, and movable means in the pockets arranged to act on label stacks and align the labels therein.

3. Delivery mechanism for a web advancing machine of character described, said mechanism comprising parallel aligned pockets designed to receive and guide labels in vertical stack arrange ment, a vertically moving tray conveyor, and means thereon for detachably receiving and supporting trays, the trays having stack supporting portions adapted for location in the pockets, and movable means in the pockets arranged to act on label stacks and align the labels therein, said means comprising upright movable pushing blades arranged for simultaneous movement, and meansby which the blades are operated irom the machine.

a. The structure defined in claim 1 with the addition that the tray supporting means of the conveyor consist of parallel bars having channels to receive the tray margins.

5. The structure defined in claim i with the addition that the conveyor comprises, at each side of the mechanism, parallel chains, tray supporting bars thereon, and means for simultaneously driving the chains at each side from the printing machine at a predetermined rate.

e. The structure defined in claim 1 with the addition of stationary tray supports and means cooperating with a tray located in the supports to insert the tray into the tray supporting means oi the conveyor.

t. The structure defined in claim 1 with the addition of stationary tray supports, a tray engaging and advancing member, and motor means for operating said member to move a tray into the supporting members of the conveyor.

8 The structure defined in claim 1 with the addition of stationary tray supports, a tray engaging and advancing member, and motor means for operating said member to move a tray into the supporting members of the conveyor, and a detent normally restraining advance of said tray advancing member.

i). The structure defined in claim 1 with the addition oi stationary tray supports, a tray engaging and advancing member, and motor means for operating said member to move a tray into the supporting members of the conveyor, and a detent normally restraining advance oi said tray advancing member, a counter operated by the machine, and means by which the counter at a predetermined count indication withdraws the detent whereby tray insertion into the conveyor is efifected in accordance with the label count height of stacks on the preceding tray in the conveyor.

10. In combination with a web advancing machine of general character described, delivery mechanism substantially as set forth in claim 1, and means by which insertion of trays into the 1,oss,211 5 conveyor of the delivery mechanism is eflected at ing means, and means by which insertion of trays intervals determined by the label count height or into the conveyor of the delivery mechanlsm is stacks on the preceding tray in the conveyor. effected at intervals determined by the label count 11. In combination with a web advancing maheight of stacks on the preceding tray in the con- 5 chine or general character described, delivery veyor. J

mechanism substantially as set forth in claim 21. DOUGLAS M. McBEAN. with the addition of tray-supporting and insert- 

